Julie Mossburg
Milan High School, Milan Area Schools

The Teacher-napping of Mrs. Mossburg

Objectives
The goal of the unit was to solve the “Teacher-napping of Mrs. Mossburg.”

There were three scientific areas that the students were to analyze: physical, biological and chemical evidence from a crime scene. Density, blood reconstruction, and shoe size measurements were collected as physical evidence. Hair samples, DNA fingerprints, and blood samples were assessed as biological evidence. Blood typing, ink writing sample, and drug analysis were tested as chemical evidence.

Approach
The forensics unit not only incorporated science, technology, and math concepts but also promoted the development of people, communication, writing and problem solving skills. The students exercised people skills by working in groups of four. Each student selected a role as project manager, lab technician, crime scene investigator or lawyer. Every team member was required to participate in each phase of the investigation but they were required to take the lead on their chosen roles.

Writing skills were developed as the students wrote lab reports for each of the tests on evidence. Communication skills were practiced as it was required to give a presentation to the class as if they were a team of lawyers trying to convince a jury. Throughout the entire project all of the students were constantly exposed to situations where they needed to problem solve. Decisions had to be made on what evidence to collect, tests to run, and determine how the evidence matched up with the listed suspects.

As a result, the students began to understand their strengths and weaknesses within these areas. This led to the realization that, for example, if they preferred being the project manager that possibly they should look into a career in management. As an opportunity for extra credit, I gave them the option to research a career area of interest.

Relevance
To grab my students’ attention, I personalized the scenario for them. First, I had the Assistant Principal come into my classroom to inform my students that I had been “teacher-napped.” At first they thought it was real! Then, I came into the room dressed up as “Agent Spitfire” to inform them that they were all going to help me with the investigation. I gave them a memo that explained that their job was to analyze the crime scene. The students were excited to take on the responsibility for solving the case.

I taught them the techniques to investigate, test and analyze each piece of evidence. I also pointed out what types of careers people would be involved in with each part of the investigation process.

As a result, the students were exposed to careers in criminal justice, biotechnology, research and law. As an added bonus, I had a deputy come in from Monroe County as a guest speaker to discuss crime scene reconstruction.

Measurement
The forensics unit was able to stimulate my students’ interests and increase their knowledge of how science, technology and math are relevant to crime scene investigation.

They were amazed to learn how blood reconstruction used geometry, algebra and basic measurement. They were intrigued by the chemical processes that occurred for testing drug and blood samples. Each group was able to utilize current technology by being provided a laptop for typing out their lab reports, data collection, producing graphs and creating power point presentations.

Additionally, the students used Webster boards to present their cases with interactive power points that included video clips. The exposure to this use of technology really helped the students experience an authentic and professional environment.

To assess their progress, students were evaluated from written lab reports, quizzes on investigation and lab techniques, oral group presentations and a unit test.

Challenges
One of the challenges faced was trying to make sure the students were staying on a schedule. To ensure that this challenge was met I gave the students target dates for the completion of different parts of the unit.

A second challenge was making sure that the assessment choices were differentiated to meet the needs of all levels of learners. With the assistance of a special education teacher I was able to generate alternative forms of assessment for all learners.

The last challenge that was faced was funding for the different materials needed for evidence. In response to this obstacle I was approved by our school’s academic booster club to purchase (fictitious) blood and drug samples.